


Lady of the Lake

by rumplestiltskinsbulge



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-13
Updated: 2016-06-13
Packaged: 2018-07-14 17:50:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7184036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rumplestiltskinsbulge/pseuds/rumplestiltskinsbulge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This was a fic for the lovely lady-therion as a part of the Mantis Menagerie fic exchange on Tumblr.</p>
<p>Prompt: A mysterious drought endangers the lives of Naiad!Belle and her sisters. Because they are dependent on the rivers, brooks, streams, lakes and wells they watch over, they begin slowly dying out as the waters dry up. Naiad!Belle suspects foul sorcery, and begrudgingly enlists the help of DarkOne!Rumple. Of course, he’d be willing to help…in exchange for a favor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lady of the Lake

When he appeared at the edge of the trees, he saw her. She seemed to glow with a faint blue light as she linger near the water's edge. She knelt down in the pale yellow gown she wore, tracing designs in the water with a slender finger. Rumplestiltskin watched from the shadows as a fish rose to the surface, following her finger as it made infinite circles on the water’s surface. The faint smile that graced her lips made her look even more beautiful. He shifted his weight and a twig snapped beneath his boot. The beauty stood quickly, sending the fish deep down into the pond.

“Who’s there?” she called, her accented voice carrying easily.

“Surely you know the answer to that, dearie.” Rumplestiltskin replied, stepping out of the cover of trees and into the moonlight. “You were the one who summoned me here, after all.”

“Rumplestiltskin.” She spoke his name as though it were a curse, and he grinned.

“At your service,” he twirled his hand in a circular motion before giving her a mocking bow. She watched him with none of the gentility or care that she had just shown the fish. He was used to it, however. “So, Naiad, how can I be of use to you?” Better yet, how could she be of use to him? There were many things the Naiad’s were capable of, and depending on this one’s specialties currying a favor from her could be immensely useful.

“My sisters are dying,” she told him, “And they are doing so far too quickly to be natural.”

“Waters dry,” he said, waving her off, “Or have you not heard of the drought that is plaguing the lands?” He knew, however, it was more than that. Even without news of her Naiad sisters dying off, Rumplestiltskin had known that the drought was something far from natural.

“Even in times of drought not so many are lost so quickly. My sisters and I exist to nurture and watch over our waters, to keep them from drying up over a little lack of rain.” She stepped closer to the Dark One, head held high. “My sisters are exhausting themselves in attempts to save their waters, and in the end they are fighting a losing battle. This is more than a simple drought, Dark One. It’s sorcery, and I need your help to find the sorcerer and stop them before we are all lost.”

Rumplestiltskin watched the lovely young naiad, curiosity welling in him but not betrayed on his face. Naiad’s were creatures of light magic, and therefore they possessed an almost natural distaste for creatures such as himself-- born of dark magic. So why, then, had she called on him instead of the fairies? “Who says I’m not the sorcerer you search for?”

“The Dark One does everything for a reason-- there is always something for you to gain,” she replied. “This senseless massacre doesn’t seem quite your style. There is nothing for you to gain.”

She was right, of course. He didn’t much care if the water nymphs survived or not, though he recognized their usefulness should they survive. Rumplestiltskin, himself, had never dealt with a Naiad but there was a sense in him that the Dark One had in years past. Desperate Naiad’s willing to do anything to protect their precious rivers or lakes. “What exactly do you have to offer in return, Naiad?”

This seemed to deflate the little nymph, and she set to chewing her bottom lip. Looking away from him, he could tell she had little to offer. “I have gold-- offerings from the nearby villagers.” A manic giggle escaped his lips, and he moved closer to her, invading her personal space. The young woman straightened, but did not move away from him.

“I make gold,” he pointed out, emphasizing the point with a flourish of his hands. “What use have I of your pitiful offerings?”

“It is all I have to offer,” she insisted.

Rumplestiltskin tsked, leaning in until his pointed nose nearly touched her own. “Now that’s just not true, is it dearie?” he asked in a near whisper. “A favor then,” he exclaimed, stepping back and turning away from her to escape the blue of her eyes. “To be named and claimed whenever I see fit.” Rumplestiltskin turned on a heel and held a hand out to her. “Do we have a deal?”

“And you promise to help me defeat the sorcerer and save my sisters?” She wanted there to be no confusion in their mission. He gave a curt nod, and the Naiad reached out to grasp his hand. And with a shake, the deal was struck.

“Well then, Naiad--” he walked over to the edges of her pond where she had knelt when he’d first arrived. “We ought to get going if we want to find this sorceror sooner rather than later.” He knelt where she had, conjuring a small vial and filling it with water from the pond.

“Go?” She turned to watch him, blinking in confusion. “I can’t go anywhere-- I can’t leave my pond.” Besides the fact that she existed to watch over the pond, it was simply impossible. She couldn’t stray too far from her waters with she and the pond both beginning to expire.

Another giggle came from the imp, and he corked the vial. “You didn’t think I would do all the work myself, did you?” He asked and stood upright. “After all, our deal was that I would help you find and vanquish the sorcerer. Implying, my dear, that you would help me.” With a flick of his wrist the vial was attached to a chain, and he turned to face her.

“It’s impossible,” she insisted.

“Not impossible, dearie,” he told her, taking  a few steps closer and circling around her. “In fact, very little is impossible for me.” Standing close behind her, he reached around her and drew the chain around her neck. Moving her auburn locks over one shoulder, he clasped the necklace and let it rest against her chest. “With this necklace, you can stray as far from your little pond as you would like. And returning is just as simple. Remove the necklace and you’ll find yourself back here.”

She was in shock, if the way her mouth hung slightly open was any indication. A sense of pride filled him, knowing how very impressive it must have seemed to her. Very few Naiads had left their waters, and most of those were the lucky few who had the honor to become minor goddesses.

“Enough gawking,” Rumplestiltskin said, sounding extremely pleased with himself. “We must be on our way if we’re to save your precious sisters.”

“I’ve-- never left my lake before.” She sounded nervous, and perhaps even a tad frightened. Smirking, Rumplestiltskin moved in front of her and slid an arm around her waist.

“There’s a first time for everything,” he cooed with a smirk. Waving his hand, purple smoke rose around them. The magic lifted her auburn curls, and the young woman’s azure eyes widened in surprise. She was even more lovely up close and smelled of fresh water and sunlight. It would have been  intoxicating to a weaker man.

When the smoke cleared, they stood before his home:

**_The Dark Castle_ ** .

 

\----

 

The castle was unlike anything Belle had ever seen. It was massive, and loomed before her in stark contrast to the lovely colors of dusk. To many it may have appeared dark and imposing, but to the young naiad it was nothing short of beautiful. “Are you going to stand about all day, dearie?” She jumped at the sound of the Dark One’s voice as he brushed past her.

“No, I just-- I’ve never seen anything quite like it.” She hurried to catch up with him, never taking her eyes from the castle. As they neared the large double doors, they sung open to allow them in. The inside of the castle seemed every bit as lovely as the outside, if a tad on the dusty side. The gloomy exterior was mirrored in the poorly lit halls they walked through before reaching a set of steep, spiralling stairs.

“Where do sprites sleep, anyway?” He asked, mockingly. “The mud?”

She huffed in annoyance, but otherwise didn’t dignify him with any other response than a mumbled: “Naiads. Not sprites.”

He continued to lead her up and up in silence, though she sensed the smug smirk on his lips at having gotten under her skin. They must have been headed to the top of a tower. They passed windows too numerous to count on their way, each covered with dark, heavy curtains. Why, she wondered, live in a place with so many windows and choose to live in darkness? Belle’s favorite days were the sunny ones. Days when the light would reflect from the waters and shadows would dance along the banks to the music of rustling leaves.

Lost in thoughts of her lake, Belle fingered the vial around her neck. She could feel the presence of her waters as though she were there, and still she felt uneasy at having left them. As they reached the door, she nearly ran into Rumple who had turned to watch her ascent. She jumped, blushing lightly in embarrassment.

“I do hope you won’t be this scatter brained while we do our research.” Belle rolled her eyes and gestured for him to open the door and let her through.  As he did, she blinked. Two of the walls were lined from top to bottom in books, while off to one side there sat a work bench littered with potions and ingredients. In the middle sat a large spinning wheel surrounded by straw. A pile of what appeared to be golden thread lay nearby. Unlike the rest of the castle, this room was dust free and well lit. An overhead window let in light during the day, and a mass of candles about the room kept it light enough at night.

With a snap of his fingers, Rumplestiltskin had cleared the workbench. “Let’s get to work, shall we?”

 

\----

 

He was mesmerized. Watching the brunette beauty wander around his study gave him more pleasure than he understood. Currently, his eyes followed her as she moved along the book cases, fingers grazing the spines as she passed them by. He wondered if she even knew how to read. He only did because his curse gave him the knowledge, passed down from past dArk One’s.

“I learned to read once,” she spoke up as though she’d known what he had been thinking. “A young woman used to bring her daughter to my lake. They would sit in the shade and have a picnic, and the mother would teach her daughter to read and write. I used to follow along.

When the mother passed, the girl would bring her books to the lake and read them beneath the same tree. I would sometimes read along with her-- I always wondered if she could sense me there.”

Rumplestiltskin had no idea what to say. It was a beautiful picture, the naiad reading alongside the lake she called home. “Did you never have any books of your own?”

“No,” she looked up at the books almost wistfully. “What use does a naiad have of books? And where would I keep them, besides?” She turned back to face him, smiling. “My lake is all I need.”

Rumple cleared his throat. “Right, well if we don’t find out who has been using magic to dry up lakes and rivers, you may not have a lake much longer.” The words had come out a bit harsher than intended, and he felt a pang of regret as she winced.

“Right,” she replied softly. “Where should we start?”

“There are few whose powers are strong enough to cause this much damage,” he said, circling the table to stand on the same side as Belle. “Besides me,  of course.” He grinned at her as she came to stand beside him.

“How do we figure out which of them it is?” She asked, unimpressed with his clear attempt at bragging.

“A motive would be helpful. What  might someone have to gain from killing off your kind?” Rumplestiltskin certainly couldn’t think of any reason to hurt them. There were bad seed, as there were with any species, but the naiad’s were mostly kind, gentle spirits who interfered very little with anything outside of their waters.

“Nothing,” she insisted, raising a hand to clasp the necklace he’d given her. “We help the world. All that this drought accomplishes is destroying ecosystems and threaten the survival of every living being.”

“Destroying the world..” he hummed in thought. “I can think of a few who might be foolish enough to attempt that, but none who would go about it in such a way. No, the drought is specific.” He might have thought it the work of competing leaders, seeking to weaken their enemies before mounting a takeover, but the drought affected multiple lands. “It’s seeking out naiad territories, leaving the oceans alone-- it’s personal.”

“People have sought to kill naiad’s before. Those who committed a perceived slight-- but they usually go after a particular naiad. This feels like senseless slaughter.”

“Revenge is almost exclusively senseless.” Rumplestiltskin’s reptilian eyes darkened as the thought took him back to distant memories. “Luckily,” he said, snapping out of his thoughts, “There is a way to track the magic that is being used.”

Rumplestiltskin help out a hand. Amidst a puff of purple smoke, a book appeared. Setting it before them on the table, he  began to sift through the pages. As he found the one he wanted, he snapped his fingers. Dozens of candles around the tower flickered to life as the dusk sky darkened.

“This,” he told Belle, “Is the recipe for a potion that can help us trace who the source of the drought is.”

Belle leaned in close, her brown hair swinging over her shoulders. Once more he caught the scent of a breeze rolling off of fresh water, and for a moment he was lost in it.

“Dirt from the drought, water blessed with the gift of sight, and--” she was reading the ingredients and paused at the last. “The blood of a naiad?” She looked up at him with a horrified expression.

“Oh, don’t look so affronted,” he tsked. “It’s only one or two drops. It’s not at though you’ll be in any danger.”

“Well, fine. But what about the water blessed with the gift of sight? Where will we get that?”

“That, dearie, is a very good question.” He snapped the book shut and turned to face her. “You have a specialty, yes?” Each naiad could do a small amount of magic outside of controlling their waters. However, most had a specialty. One with a talent for using their waters to see into the past, present, or future would be needed.

“Healing,” she said proudly. Of course, it would be too simple for her to have had the gift of sight.

“Then it seems as though we’ll need to go shopping.” Using magic, Rumple returned the book to its home and began walked from the room. “I’ll need your help, dearie.”

“But I don’t have any money!” He could hear her hurried footsteps as she tried to catch up with him. Behind her, candles magically died out. A manic laugh left his lips as they reached the door, which opened on its own for them.

“I don’t need money, dearie.”

“Then what?” He turned on a heel to face her, leaning in until his pointed nose nearly touched her own.

“Your kind don’t really seem to like me,” he reminded her with a sneer. “Do you think one of your sisters would readily give me some of her waters, blessed with her gift? Would you, for that matter?” She was silent, and had the good graces to look a bit ashamed of herself. Her silence was the only answer either of them needed. “And that, dearie, is why I need you.”

 

\----

 

Rumplestiltskin had given her a room for the night. Well-- room was perhaps too nice a word for it. It was cold and damp and locked from the outside. It was a dungeon, if she was being honest. But she supposed he'd at least given her a pillow and blanket.

When morning came, the door unlocked on its own accord and Belle wandered out into the hallway. She hadn't slept a wink, and not only out of discomfort. She couldn't relax, being so far away from the waters of her lake. Even when she would close her eyes and concentrate, listening to the gentle swaying of the water through the magical bond of her necklace, it's wasn't enough.

The candles lead back up to his tower, where he sat at his wheel spinning. She wondered if he’d been there all night. He looked so at peace as he watched the wheel-- almost human. In truth, he was quite handsome at that wheel of his.

“I didn’t know if naiad’s eat,” he said, not bothering to look up from his work. “But if you’re hungry I can conjure something before we leave.”  
  
“We can, but we don’t need to,” she told him. “I wouldn’t mind some tea, though.” He paused for only a moment to conjure a tea set onto the workbench.

Belle walked over to the set, pouring herself a cup of tea. Adding a bit of milk and some sugar, she sipped at it and watched him for a long moment. “Something on your mind, dearie?” He asked as he continued his spinning.

“You’re the Dark One,” she started. “You can get or make anything you need. So why do you spin so much gold?” There were piles of it all over the room, and she hazarded a guess there was more of it in other places in the castle.

“I don’t care about gold.” He said simply.

“Then why?” She was curious by nature, and wouldn’t easily let the subject drop.

“I spin to forget,” he replied.

“Forget what?” He paused for a long moment, as though in thought.

“I suppose it’s working!” He joked, letting a high pitched giggle escape him. Belle chuckled, amused by this strange little man’s humor. Her laughter seemed to take him off guard, and he looked at her for a few silent seconds.

“Can I ask you a question now?” She nodded, sipping at her tea once more. “You’re a smart young woman. So why on earth would you agree to such an open ended deal with the Dark One?” She shrugged, not even needing to think of the answer.

“For my sisters.”

“None of whom you’ve ever spoken to before,” he pointed out.

“Why should that matter? We all have a strong bond regardless. They’re family-- surely even the Dark One must understand the desire to protect one’s family.” Or did he? Had the Dark One had a family? She wasn’t quite sure…

He fell silent at that, returning to his spinning. “Still,” he spoke up after a long moment had passed. “What if I demand something you don’t wish to give?”

“It would be worth it,” she insisted. “I’m not only saving my sisters. I’m saving the people, the animals, and the marine life who depend on us all. One naiad’s sacrifice is small in comparison.”

She was uncertain whether or not her answer satisfied him, but they sat in comfortable silence as she finished her tea. When she was done, she set the cup aside and suggested they leave. It was time to get down to business.

 

\----

 

Rumplestiltskin watched her from across the carriage as they rumbled down the road. They were headed to a cave, deep in which was a pond that was the home of a naiad with the gift of sight. He felt a bit bad for the way he had treated her the night before, locking her in the dungeon. If he was being honest, he had been afraid she was going to leave in the middle of the night and change her mind.

She was staring out of the carriage window, watching the world go by with wide eyes. She found pleasure in the simplest of things, it amazed him. As she grasped the necklace, trying to take herself back through the bond to her lake, he wondered what it would be like if she stayed with him. He thought about making her his maid-- after all, she did owe him. And yet even as he had the thought he knew it was no good. She wouldn't be happy so far from her waters.

Why was he so worried about her happiness all of a sudden?

“What will we do if she won't give us some of her water?” Rumplestiltskin blinked, realizing for the first time that she was looking at him. He hastily looked away, feeling like a gawking fool.

“We’ll have to ask someone else, then,” he said with a shrug. The carriage came to a stop, and he swung the door open. “We’ll have to go the rest of the way on foot.” Turning, he offered his hand to Belle, helping her out of the carriage. He expected her to let go of his hand immediately, but she didn’t. Her soft hand lingered in his, and for a moment he didn’t want her to let go. She did, in the end. They both blushed and stepped away from one another. “This way.”

The cave was difficult to find, or would have been for any other man. Rumplestiltskin, however, could feel the magic emanating from the cave. Belle seemed to feel it too as they moved through the trees. When they came to the mouth of the cave, Rumple let her go in ahead of her. Using magic, he lit the inside of the cave until they came to a crevasse. Deep down in the crevasse was a glittering pond. Bioluminescent organisms left the cave glowing faintly.

“Beautiful,” Belle whispered as they came to the edge.

Rumplestiltskin let his own light die so they could appreciate the pond in all its glory. And yet, it wasn’t the pond he was looking at as he muttered an awed: “Yes… beautiful.” She looked so lovely in the light of the pond, her blue eyes seeming to glow.

“What are you doing here?” And just like that, the moment was over. They turned to see an annoyed looking naiad with bright red hair. The flame haired naiad was staring daggers at Rumple.

“Rumplestiltskin,” he said with a flourish, bowing mockingly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“What are you doing here?” She asked again, thoroughly unimpressed.

“Sister,” Belle stepped forward, clasping her necklace. “My name is Belle. I have a lake in the Enchanted Forest, and I have come all this way for your help.”

“With him?” She asked, continuing to glare at Rumple.

“Yes-- please, we need your help. All of our sisters need your help.” Finally the naiad looked away from the Dark One and turned instead to face her sister.

“Belle-- I’m Ariel.” She smiled at Belle, and Rumple scoffed under his breath. Typical naiads. “Tell me sister, how is it you’ve come so far away from your lake?”

“The Dark One helped me,” she told her, head held high. “My necklace allows me to travel away while remaining connected to my waters.” Ariel stepped closer to Belle, carefully grasping the necklace and examining it.

“That's--” she paused, gaping at it. “So cool!” The girl shrieked, laughing. “That is amazing. And it's so cute.” She cooed, having now completely forgotten about Rumplestiltskin.

 

\----

 

Belle liked Ariel. Though she could sense her fellow naiad’s, she had never gotten a chance to meet any of them. Ariel was sweet, and she spent ten minutes shooting off rapid fire questions about her lake and what it was like travelling away from her home. Belle was about to gladly answer all of them before Rumplestiltskin cleared his throat from behind her. Right. They didn’t have time to talk.

“Ariel, I would love to answer all of your questions, but--” she sighed heavily. “We need your help.”

“The drought,” her smile faded and her tone became serious. “I’ve felt it, too. But what can I do?”

“There’s a potion-- it can help us find who’s doing this and why. We can stop them.” Belle’s eyes shone with intensity as she grasped Ariel’s hands. “We can get everything we need, except for one thing. Water blessed with the gift of sight.” Ariel stiffened, pulling her hands away from Belle.

“You want me to give my blessed water to that-that-- monster?” Belle felt bad for asking, but Ariel didn’t know Rumplestiltskin like she did. Not that Belle knew him well either, but during breakfast she felt as though she’d gotten to know him a bit. In a strange way, she trusted him.

“I want you to give it to us. To help our kind…” Belle’s eyes turned pleading. “I know you don’t trust him, and you have every reason not to. But Ariel, he’s only here to help.”

“For what in return?” The red haired woman asked. “What did you promise to give him for his help? The Dark One does nothing without receiving something in return.”

“Whatever the price, it will be mine to bare.” Belle replied, lifting her chin. She would not feel badly about her deal with the imp.

“And if it kills you?” Ariel asked, worry tinging her whispered words.

“If my death would stop the deaths of hundreds of our sisters, it would be worth it.”  
  
“I hate to interrupt this touching moment,” Rumplestiltskin cooed, stepping up to stand beside Belle. “But the deal is struck. She will owe me wether you help us or not.” He sounded angry to Belle, as though the idea that he would kill her enraged him.

“I will not give you my blessing.” Ariel insisted, green eyes glaring at the Dark One.

“Our sisters are dying, Ariel. Please.” Belle felt helpless. “We can find another naiad with the gift, but who knows how long that will take? How many more must die?”

Ariel was silent for a long moment, watching Belle closely. Finally, she sighed. “Fine,” she replied. Belle relaxed, glad to hear they wouldn’t have to track down another of their sisters to help. “I will not give it to him… but I will give it to you.”

Stepping between them, Ariel came to stand at the edge of the crevasse. Lifting her hands, Ariel rose a small length of water up to them, forming a ball. Rumplestiltskin summoned a large vial and handed it to Belle, who made her way over to her sister. She watched as Ariel began to chant, the water glowing more and more vibrantly as she wove her magic into it. When she was done, she led the water into the vial. After, Ariel pulled her into a hug and whispered: “Be careful, Belle. Don’t trust him.”

“He’s not so bad,” Belle assured her softly, returning the hug. “Thank you.”

“Come along, dearie!” Rumple called out, and Belle parted from Ariel only to realize he was walking back towards the entrance without her.

“Visit me sometime!” Ariel called behind her, waving.

“If I can! Thank you again.” Belle replied.

It was time to collect the next ingredient on their list: dirt from the drought.

 

\----

 

Watching Belle interact with her sister had stirred something in Rumple. The way the two talked, so easily and warmly-- how long had it been since anyone had spoken to him that way? Not that he blamed them. He was a difficult man to love, after all. The only people he talked to anymore were people who simply wanted things from him. But Belle was different. Ever since breakfast, she had began speaking to him with the same ease and warmth. Even as they walked back to the carriage she prattled on about how beautiful Ariel’s pond was and how wonder it was finally meeting one of her sisters.

As she spoke, however, he learned something about her. Something that surprised him. She was lonely. Perhaps just as lonely as he was.

When they reached the carriage, he helped her back into it. Once again he was taken aback by how nicely her hand seemed to fit in his. They settled into their seats, and the horses began the journey south where they would find the nearest dried up river bed-- the latest victim of the drought. He wasn’t certain what they would find when they arrived, but he dreaded it. This woman he was travelling with was the gentlest and most empathetic being he had ever known in his long, long life. Knowing her sisters were dying was one thing, but seeing the reality of it? That was something altogether different.

That thought didn’t seem to cross Belle’s mind, however. As they rode along the road, she preoccupied her mind by asking him questions, most of which he did his best to answer. The questions were numerous and ranged from life amongst people to the strangest and most foreign lands he’d ever been to. He was surprised at how easy she was to talk to, and he even managed to keep his mocking and sneering to a minimum. She was fascinated by his stories and laughed at jokes that only he had ever found funny before. It felt like no time at all before they had arrived at the river.

Only once the carriage had stopped did the reality of what lay beyond the doors seem to dawn on Belle. Rumplestiltskin swallowed hard. “Why don’t you stay here,” he suggested. “I hardly need help collecting a bit of dirt.” He wanted to spare her, though he was uncertain why he cared at all.

“No-- I want to see it.” Her voice was small and the smile had faded from her rosy cheeks. He nodded stiffly, opening the doors and stepping out to help her again. This time, however, she didn’t remove her hand. Instead, she gripped his hand tighter as the barren riverbed spread out before them.

Silence surrounded them. There was no sounds of water hitting rock, no birds in the sky singing, no animals loitering on the edges of the trees waiting for them to leave… there wasn’t even wind in the leaves. It was very clear that something horrible and dark had happened here, and they simply stood there and took it all in.

When Belle finally let go of Rumplestiltskin’s hand, he watched her. She was trembling, and he resisted an urge to hug her (which was very unlike him). She took a few shaky steps towards what was once the riverbank. Tears began to trickle down her cheeks as she beheld the full truth of what she’d been feeling.

As she made it to the edge, she collapsed to her knees. Rumplestiltskin stiffened, forcing himself to stay right where he was. She was mourning the loss of her sister, and the last thing she needed was a monstrous imp making things worse. He would stay right where he was and let her say her respects, or whatever it was that naiad’s did. Even if listening to her sobs all but killed him.

He waited to move until her crying had quieted and seemed to slow. His heart felt heavy as he moved slowly towards her. He, too, had felt the loss of family. He knew the helpless feeling that suffocated you and the sorrow that threatened to drown you. As much as he wanted to comfort her, he knew that there was nothing he could do. “We should get going, Belle,” he whispered softly, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. His voice sounded more human than it had in hundreds of years. “We’ve got a lot of work to do if we don’t want this to happen again.”

Sniffling, she wiped away her tears and looked up at him. Her watery eyes were impossibly larger than ever, and she nodded. Lending her a hand, he helped her stand. Only when he was certain she was stable on her feet did her leave her side to collect the vial of dirt they needed. Placing a hand on the small of her back, he lead her back to the carriage. She gave the dried up river one last, long look before letting him help her in once more.

\----

The trip passed them by in silence after their trip to the river. Belle had never felt such heartbreak and sorrow. Seeing the river dried up and feeling the distinct absence of the spirit of a fellow naiad was much, much worse than she could have ever imagined. She felt even more sure than ever that they had to find whoever was behind this, no matter the cost. “Have you ever lost anyone?” They weren’t far from the castle now, but Belle had grown weary of the quiet.

“Yes.” It was only one word, but in it was echoed all of the loss and sorrow Belle had felt and more. She wanted to ask him about it. Who had it been? How had it happened? Was this before or after he had become the Dark One? But somehow Belle felt that he might not appreciate her curious nature so much. He’d been willing to answer all of her questions earlier, but this was too much too soon. Too personal.

“I’m sorry,” was all she said in reply.

\----

Up in his study, Rumplestiltskin felt completely at home. Making the potion would be simple. What came after? Not so much. Belle had insisted on helping, so he had her reading him instructions. Until, of course, it came to the water. Ariel had given the water to her, after all, so she had to be the one to mix it in. The potion glowed a faint blue but there was still one thing they were missing. “Carefully,” Rumplestiltskin said as he handed her the knife. “It only needs two drops, so simply prick your finger.”

Belle nodded, doing as she was told. She winced as the sharp tip of the blade pierced her skin, and Rumple swallowed hard at the sight of her blood. He didn’t know why the idea of Belle being hurt, even in such a small way, irritated him. She was nothing to him… nothing.

With the two drops in, a puff of smoke erupted from the heated vial. It swarmed above the table at eye level. “Here we go--” he muttered, leaning in to look closely at the figures beginning to take shape in the smoke.

A young woman with dark skin-- no, not a woman. A mermaid. She was talking and laughing happily with a handsome young sailor. She was in love, that much was clear. When the picture changed, the same sailor was there but with a different young lady. He was in what appeared to be a cave, and with him was the Naiad, Ariel. The two kissed, and the figures faded. The mermaid reappeared with the man, and he was speaking. From the devastated look on the mermaid’s face, it was clear that he was breaking off whatever relationship they had had.

A boat floated between them, changing the scene to one of a storm caused by the tumultuous magic of the distraught mermaid, now turned half octopus in her hatred and rage. As the ship crashed against the rocks and sank, it was clear to Rumplestiltskin who was behind the drought. He waved his hands to disperse the smoke.

“That girl,” Belle said, following behind him as he moved to shelves, grabbing a few things he thought they might need. “Who was she?”

“An old friend,” Rumplestiltskin said, though his tone indicated that she was no such thing. “Her name is Ursula, a powerful sea witch. It seems as though your new friend, Ariel, stole someone dear from her.”

Belle let out a breath, shaking her head. “All of this because Ariel stole the man she loved--”

“Love can make you do crazy things, dearie.” He spoke from experience. But that was a conversation they would never have. “The good news, is that I know right where to find her.”

“And how to stop her?” Belle asked, holding out a small velvet bag for him to put his things in. He paused, looking at her.

“Why of course,” he said, hiding any doubt he felt from her. “That was our deal, after all.”

\----

Belle felt uncomfortable. The air was salty and cold off of the sea. As a spirit of freshwater bodies, Naiad’s weren’t used to nor fond of oceans. But where else were they going to find a sea witch?

“Take this,” Rumplestiltskin took her hand, pressing a small glass bottle into it. “If things go south, toss the contents of this at her. It’ll freeze her in place and keep you safe.” Belle’s azure eyes met his reptilian ones, and she blushed. She hated to admit that she was afraid of what the sea witch might do to her, but looking up at Rumplestiltskin-- she felt safe.

She nodded, swallowing hard and wrapping her fingers around the cool glass.

“Well, well, well-- if it isn’t the Dark One.” They both turned to look at the woman who had spoken. She was dark skinned and lovely, though dangerous looking. She was a bit more aged than the mermaid in the visions, but she was clearly the same woman.

“Ursula,” Rumple said in faux friendliness. He stepped between her and Belle, and she sneered. “I hear you’ve been a very busy woman.”

“And what’s this you’ve brought me?” She asked him. “A naiad… and so far from home.” Belle had never been looked at with so much hatred before. It terrified her.

“She is not for you,” he said, voice dangerous and low. “But she is why we’ve come. It seems you’ve been causing more than a bit of trouble for the Naiads.”

“They caused trouble for me first,” Ursula said, shrugging.

“Yes, we know all about your sailor boy.” That seemed to fan the flames of Ursula’s hate even more.

“You know nothing,” she spit.

“We know he left you for a Naiad,” Rumplestiltskin said nonchalantly. “We know you got angry, lashed out with a storm and his ship sunk.”

“He didn’t leave me for her-- he was bewitched!” She snapped.

“So you plotted your revenge.” Rumpelstiltskin moved closer to Ursula. “But tell me-- why all of this drought nonsense? Why not simply kill the Naiad responsible?” Belle tensed. The idea of her killing sweet Ariel… it was abhorable.

“I never did know which one it was that killed my Eric,” she admitted. “But all of them are pesky beasts.”

“Ariel didn’t kill him!” Belle exclaimed, anger welling in her. “You made the storm. You’re the reason his ship sank!” Ursula’s eyes swiveled over to Belle, a wicked smile on her red lips.

“How cute. Tell me, Naiad-- have you ever been in love?” The sea witch stalked closer to her, past Rumple. “I doubt it. You nymphs know nothing of true love. Love you would do anything for.”

“I know more of love than an evil hag like you ever could,” Belle fought back. “I love my sisters, even if I’ve never seen them. And I won’t let you kill them!” Uncorking the bottle, she tossed its contents on Ursula. The witch froze in place, face contorting in anger.

“You vile beast!” She shouted, struggling against the squid ink that covered her and kept her still. Behind her, Rumplestiltskin was smiling, eyes glinting in the moonlight. He seemed somehow proud of her.

“Good girl,” he said, coming close to her and placing a hand on her back. “Now why don’t you go wait by the carriage while Ursula and I finish up our business.”

“I’m fine right here,” she said, staring at Ursula. He nodded.

“As you wish.”

\----

Belle had never been more beautiful than when she was standing up for what she believed in. Seeing her toss the squid ink in Ursula’s face was much more satisfying than he’d imagined. And now she wanted to stay by him as he finished the job. And he would let her. “Take this, dearie.” He said, handing her the bag and pulling out an enchanted conch shell.

Her smirked at the frozen Ursula, coming to stand in front of her. “Do you know what this is, dearie?” He asked the frozen sea witch. “Of course you do-- your father is the one who enchanted it, after all.” He pressed the shell to her sternum, and grinned.

“No-- don’t you dare!” She shrieked, frozen in place. Activating the magic in the shell, it glowed a bright purple, pulsating as it sapped the magic from Ursula. When it was done, the woman crumpled to the ground, black hair falling in front of her face. Placing the shell back into the bag, he took it from Belle.

“What-- what will happen to her?” The blue eyed beauty asked him quietly, somehow summoning concern for the witch who had killed half a dozen of her sisters. She truly amazed him.

“She’ll be fine,” he assured her. “She’ll be stuck as a human for the rest of her days without her magic, but she’ll be fine. And you and your sisters will be safe.”

“I will not forget this, Rumplestiltskin.” Ursula spat from where she crouched, shaking and crying on the sand. “I will find a way to get my power back, and when I do I’m coming after you and your little naiad bitch!”

“Best of luck to you, dearie,” he said, not at all worried. Without her magic she wouldn’t stand a chance getting into his vault. “Give your father my best.”

\----

Back at her lake, Belle took a moment to savor the safety and freedom she felt in the knowledge that the sea witch could never hurt them again. She did a quick check of the life around her lake and revelled in the chirping of the crickets that inhabited her banks. She had liked travelling, but she had missed her home.

“Thank you,” she said when she finally returned to the Dark One. “My sisters and I are safe, and it’s all thanks to you.”

“Don’t sell yourself short, dearie. Without you I would never have gotten that red haired Ariel to give up some of her water.” She smiled all the same, hugging him. He tensed under her embrace, uncomfortable at being hugged, but she continued to hug him anyway. When she pulled away, she let out a sigh.

“Thank you at any rate. Let me know if there’s anything I can do for you to repay you. I do owe you a favor, after all.” She reminded him with a smile.

“Ah, yes-- about that.” He stepped past her and moved to look out over the water. “I have an idea of what I wanted to name as my price.” Belle’s head tilted to the side inquisitively. “There is a large fountain in my courtyard-- it’s been dry for hundreds of years now. I think it’s about time it was brought back to life.” He turned back around to face her. “And, of course, it will need a naiad to look after it.”

She straightened up in surprise. “I-- what about the lake?” She asked, blinking. “Who would look after it?”

“It would all be the same water,” he said. “I would simply transfer the water from the lake into the underground reservoir for the fountain. Working a little magic, I could refill the lake and a fresh, new naiad spirit would be born to take over the new lake waters.” He looked almost nervous, his hand twitching at his sides. She felt her heart fluttering.

“So-- you want me to move in with you?” She asked, smiling faintly. He shrugged.

“If you want to call it that,” he said. “You’ll have your own room-- a proper room. Right by the fountain. And you can keep the necklace, travelling throughout the castle as you please. The courtyard is large enough for a small garden, as well. If you don’t want to though-- I’m sure I can find something else for you to repay me with.” He was so dear and unsure, she couldn’t help but chuckle.

“I think that sounds lovely, Rumple.” She said with a smile.

“I could even clear out a room beside your room and fill it with books for you to read.” He told her, a smile of his own mirroring hers.

“That sounds perfect, Rumplestiltskin.” She would finally have a home-- a real home. And a new friend. And that was, perhaps, the best of all.


End file.
